Four dimensional billiards

ABSTRACT

A Playing surface ( 12 ) that introduces “movement” or “motion” as a fourth dimension to the traditional game of billiards by altering the natural inertia of the billiard balls is disclosed. In one embodiment of the playing surface ( 12 ), “motion” is introduced through turning or rotating of a portion ( 22 ) of the playing surface ( 12 ) of the billiards table ( 10 ) in the same plane as the playing surface. By affecting introducing a new element that would affect the inertia of the balls, players would then be required to not only make judgments about the distance, angle and force that the cue ball should strike the target ball, but must also consider how those factors may be effective by the introduction of an element that may alter the typical movement of the balls. Accordingly, players will be faced with moving targets, moving obstacles and the possible redirection and/or change in speed of the target balls as they attempt to hit the balls into the pockets of the table.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/359,416, filed on Feb. 25, 2002, which is incorporated byreference into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a new sport similar to the traditional game ofbilliards. In particular, the invention provides additional elements andcomplexities to the traditional game of billiards.

2. Related Art

As a sport, today's billiards is viewed by the public as a very low-keygame. Unlike other sports, billiards championship events do not drawmuch attention from the public. Any observer of a billiards championshipcompetition will notice that the games have become much shorter induration and easier to complete. A top champion usually finishes thegame fairly quickly. The competitors' skills have advanced highly, whilethe standards of the game have remained static. Once a player starts thegame, it is very likely that he or she will place the balls in thepockets with no effort—so much so that winning or losing has come downto just a few small errors by a participant in the last moments of agame. As a consequence, watching these games has become somewhat boringand monotonous, and because of this, public participation is extremelylow as compared to other sports. To attract public interest and open newopportunities for participation in the game and championshipcompetitions, the game of billiards must somehow become more excitingand challenging, with a view to eventual commercial gains.

A typical game of billiards consists of a standard set of fifteen (15)game balls that are identical to one another in size and mass, and asixteenth (16^(th)) ball, the cue ball, usually of the same size andmass as the game balls. However, with automatic vending-machine typebilliard tables the cue ball is slightly larger than the game balls toenable the return of the cue ball in the event that it inadvertentlyfalls into one of the game table pockets.

The underlying object of traditional billiards is to knock the gameballs into the pockets of the game table by way of an impact initiatedby the cue ball. Variations of the game of billiards may includeutilizing a number of game balls that is different than fifteen (15),changing the initial setup of the balls, adding any number of additionalballs at various locations around the table or utilizing similar anddissimilar ball shapes and weights. Additionally, the markings on theballs may be altered from the standard numbering of 1 through 15, wherethe first eight balls are of various solid colors and the remainingseven are striped with various colors. For example, the markings on theballs may be altered to simulate other sports or sports paraphernalia.And finally, the ordering scheme in which the game balls are to beknocked into the game table pockets may be altered.

In analyzing traditional billiards, regardless of the variationsdescribed above, the game is technically based on three elements ordimensions: (1) distance, (2) angle, and (3) force. In other words, thethree technically variants are the distance of the ball from the target,the angle of the ball in relationship to the target, and the forcebehind the ball provided by the player to drive the ball to the target.To the masters, handling these three elements has become too easy.Players at the championship levels have mastered the technique ofhandling these elements. To make the game more complicated, a newelement or a new dimension must be added to the game. Once this isaccomplished, the game will become more challenging to play and moreinteresting to watch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A playing surface that introduces “motion” as a fourth dimension to thetraditional game of billiards, by altering the natural inertia of thegame balls during play is disclosed. A basic technique for altering theinertia of the balls is to place a portion of the playing surface incontinuous motion Unlike traditional rectangular style billiards tablewith a solid surface, the playing surface may be a rectangular stylebilliards table having a portion of the surface designed to move in thesame horizontal plane as the playing surface.

By way of example, one portion of the playing surface could act as aturntable that would rotate at variable speeds in both the clockwise andcounter-clockwise direction, turning only that portion of the playingsurface and delivering movement to the game. Thus, those billiards ballsthat are situated, or come to rest, on the moving section, will continueto move about that section of the table at the speed in which theunderlying surface is moving. Players would then have to factor in therelative movement of those balls resting on the moving portion of theplaying surface when attempting to hit target balls into the pockets ofthe table. Accordingly, players will be faced with moving targets andmoving obstacles as they attempt to hit their target balls.

Alternatively, the moving portion of the playing surface could move at avelocity that would not allow the balls to stop on the moving surface,but would instead change the direction of the balls or alter the speedof the balls as they pass over the moving surface. In addition to havinga portion of the playing table in motion, the movement of the balls mayalso be altered through electrostatic and electromagnetic forces appliedto various portions of the playing surface. In this embodiment, thecomposition of the balls may need to be alter to respond to theelectrostatic and electromagnetic forces applied to the playing surface.And finally, the balls themselves could be altered, through the use of abattery or other electrical source, to put or maintain the balls inmotion.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will beor will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination ofthe following figures and detailed description. It is intended that allsuch additional systems, methods, features and advantages be includedwithin this description, be within the scope of the invention, and beprotected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the advantagesthereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understoodby references to the detailed description when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawings. The components in the figures are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a billiards table of one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of billiards table of FIG. 1,illustrating the cushioned frame removed from the playing table; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the playing table illustrated in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to the detailed drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a a tableand/or billiards table 10 having a playing surface that provides for theaddition of a new complexity to the traditional game of billiards byproviding for a playing surface on the billiards table 10 that altersthe inertia of the billiards balls while in motion or after the ballshave come to rest on the playing surface. Although the playing surfaceis described in relation to a billiards table, other games utilizingmoving objects on a stationary playing surface may be similarly modifiedto alter the inertia of the moving objects on the playing surface whilethe objects are at rest or in motion.

While the playing surface or table may be modified in many differentways to add the additional complexity of altering the direction, speedand other movements of the balls in the game of billiard, FIG. 1illustrates an example embodiment of the playing surface. In thisembodiment, the inertia of the moving balls may be altered by setting aportion of the playing surface in continuous or intermittent motion, atvariable or constant speeds. One skilled in the art will, however,appreciate that the inertia of billiards balls, or other similar type ofmoving balls, may be altered in a number a different ways. In additionto mechanically altering the playing surface so that a portion of thesurface may move, the composition of the balls may also be altered torespond to electromagnetic or electrostatic forces that may be appliedat various locations on the playing surface of the table. Alternatively,the balls themselves may incorporate or include a power source, such asa battery, to self-propel the balls. The means for self propelling mayincluding utilizing a electrostatic force, a electronmagnetic forceand/or a mechanical force. Using these different techniques, the inertiaof the moving balls may be altered by changing either or both the speedor direction of the balls in motion and/or at rest.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of the playing surface on abilliards table 10. The billiards table 10 of FIG. 1 has the playingsurface 12, padded edged frame members 14 surrounding the playingsurface 12 from which the balls (not shown) m ay rebound, and pockets 16to receive the balls during p lay. The playing surface 12, edged framemembers 14 and pockets 16 are all supported by table legs 18.

The playing surface 12 includes at least two separate pieces: (1) themain or stationary surface 20 having a top face 21 (hereinafter thestationary top face 21); and (2) a supplemental or moving surface 22also having a top face 23 hereinafter the moving top face 21). Thestationary surface 20 and moving surface 22 may be designed andpositioned relative to one another to form a standard playing surface 12for a traditional game of billiards. While the standard playing surface12 is typically rectangular in shape, the invention may also beincorporated into a table of varying shapes, such as circular, square orother similarly shaped tables.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the stationary top face and the moving topface are generally found in the same horizontal plane with one anotherto create a smooth playing surface. However, one skilled in the art willrecognize that the moving top surface may be positioned below or abovethe stationary top surface of the stationary surface. If positionedunder the top surface, the movement of the balls may be altered throughfiction or other similar manner.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, in an example embodiment of the playingsurface 12, the stationary surface 20 is depicted similar to a regularbilliards table except that it has a round or circular opening locatedat one point along the surface 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, in thisembodiment, the opening is located in the middle of the main surface 20.One skilled in the art will recognize that the position and number ofthe moving surfaces may vary in alternative embodiments. The movingsurface 22 is then designed to have a surface area corresponding in sizeand shape to the opening in the stationary surface 20. The movingsurface 22 may then be positioned within the opening on the stationarysurface 20, such that the stationary top surface 21 of the stationarysurface 20 and moving top surface 23 of the moving surface 22 aregenerally in the same horizontal plane, to form a smooth playing surface12. Both the stationary and moving surfaces 20 and 22 may be supportedby legs 18, which may also act as support legs 18 for the billiardstable 10. The moving surface 22 may also be supported by support byalternative means, such as a pedestal 24 or other like supportstructure, or may be secured directly to the stationary surface 20 ofthe billiards table 10 by ordinary fastening mechanisms (not shown).

The stationary surface 20 does not move during play. The moving orsupplemental surface 22, however, is designed to moving or rotate. Whenthe moving surface 22 is circular, the surface 22 may be designed torotate in the counter-clockwise or clockwise direction at predeterminedor varying speeds in the plane of the playing surface 12. In addition tobeing circular in shape, the moving surface 22 may also be designed ofother geographic shapes and sizes. For example, the moving surface 22may be generally rectangular or square and may rotate in an ellipticalmanner, similar to a conveyor belt, moving the balls in a forward orbackward direction.

Rotation of the supplemental or moving surface 22 may accomplished bythe use of gears or a gear train driven by an electric motor (notshown), of the type generally known in the art. The motor may be asingle speed or variable speed motor and may be connected to the movingsurface 22 in a manner that provides for the controlled movement of themoving surface 22 relative to the stationary surface 20. An electroniccontroller (not shown) or microprocessor may a Iso be used to controlthe speed of the motor, which may give the players the capability ofvarying the speed and direction of the motor, while allowing forcontinuous, random or intermittent motion control.

The process performed by the electronic controller in controlling thespeed of the motor may be performed by hardware or software. If theprocess is performed by software, the software may reside in softwarememory (not shown) in the electronic controller. The software insoftware memory may include an ordered listing of executableinstructions for implementing logical functions (i.e., “logic” that maybe implement either in digital form such as digital circuitry or sourcecode or in analog form such as analog circuitry or an analog source suchan analog electrical, sound or video signal), may selectively beembodied in any computer-readable (or signal-bearing) medium for use byor in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, orother system that may selectively fetch the instructions from theinstruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute theinstructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readablemedium” and/or “signal-bearing medium” is any means that may contain,store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or inconnection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.The computer readable medium may selectively be, for example but notlimited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Morespecific examples “a non-exhaustive list” of the computer-readablemedium would include the following: an electrical connection“electronic” having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette(magnetic), a RAM (electronic), a read-only memory “ROM” (electronic),an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory)(electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact discread-only memory “CDROM” (optical). Note that the computer-readablemedium may even be paper or another suitable medium upon which theprogram is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, viafor instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, thencompiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner ifnecessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

When the supplement or moving surface 22 is operated a low velocity,those billiards balls (not shown) that come to rest on the movingsurface 22 of the table 10 will continue in motion with the movement ofthe moving surface 22 once the balls come to rest. Accordingly, thisadds an additional dimension to the typical game of billiards byrequiring players to factor in the relative movement of the target ballor the relative movement of other billiards balls in relation to thetarget ball when playing the game. While the invention is described ashaving at least one portion of the table in continuous motion, it isappreciated that the invention may also be designed to have at least oneportion of the table capable of moving intermittently, at select times.

Alternatively, the moving surface 22 may be operated a high velocity,which would prevent the balls from stopping on the moving surface 22. Inthis case, balls that come in contact with the moving surface 22 may beredirect, or the speed of the balls may be increased or altered as theymove across the moving surface 22.

Generally, the normal playing surface 12 is a green woven cloth whichcan be adhered to or moulded on the top surface of the table. While thesurface of other billiards tables may be made of several surfaces joinedtogether, the green woven cloth is placed continuously over the topsurface to give the appearance that the playing surface 12 is one piece.

Unlike traditional billiards tables 10, the woven cloth that is affixedor moulded to the playing surface 12 may be separately placed on thestationary and moving surfaces 20 and 22. By placing the clothseparately on the stationary surface 20 and the moving surface 22, aslight break in the playing surface 12 between the stationary and movingsurfaces 20 and 22 of the billiards table 10 is created. The break,however, will be only of a distance that will allow the stationarysurface 20 and moving surface 22 to rotate relative to one anotherwithout touching the other surface, or, if touching, the rubbing of thesurfaces 20 and 22 against one another will not create enough frictionto hinder the motion of the moving surface 22.

While the figures illustrate only one supplemental or moving surface 22,the playing surface 12 of the table 10 may include a number of rotatingsurfaces 22 located a different positions in the playing surface 12 andmay be controlled through the use of one or more motors and/orcontrollers.

In operation, a user would turn on the motor either directly, through anon/off switch, or through a controller. Once on, the motor will set themoving parts of the table in motion. The game would then be played in asimilar manner as the traditional billiards except that it requiresgreater technical expertise since the moving portion of the table mayalter the speed and direction of the movement of the balls. Dependingupon the speed of the motor, the movement of the moving surface mayalter the speed and direct of the balls while either resting or inmotion. This added complexity demands higher skills from the players.New skills will be required to master this game and new rules may evendevelop therefrom.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scopeof this invention.

1. A gaming device, the gaming device comprising a playing surface, theplaying surface having a stationary surface portion and a movablesurface portion and where the stationary surface portion has astationary top face and the movable surface portion has a movable topface, the stationary top face of the stationary surface portion and themovable top face of the movable surface portion lie approximately in thesame plane.
 2. The gaming device in claim 1, where the movable surfaceportion is capable of rotating.
 3. The gaming device in claim 2, wherethe rotation of the movable surface portion is circular.
 4. The gamingdevice in claim 2, where the rotation of the movable surface portion iselliptical.
 5. The gaming device of claim 1, where the playing surfaceis generally rectangular in shape.
 6. The gaming device of claim 1,where the playing surface is generally circular in shape.
 7. The gamingdevice of claim 1, where the movable surface portion is generallyrectangular in shape.
 8. The gaming device of claim 1, where the movablesurface portion is generally circular in shape.
 9. The gaming device ofclaim 1, where the stationary surface portion has at least one openingand the at least one movable surface portion is designed to fit withinthe at least one opening of the stationary surface portion. 10.(canceled)
 11. (canceled)
 12. (canceled)
 13. The gaming device of claim1, where the movable surface portion operates at a low velocity.
 14. Thegaming device of claim 1, where the movable surface portion operates ata high velocity.
 15. The gaming device of claim 1, where the playingsurface is located on a billiard table.
 16. (canceled)
 17. A playingsurface used in a game of billiards and played with billiard balls, theplaying surface comprising a means capable of affecting the movement ofthe billiard balls on the playing surface, wherein the affecting meansis an electromagnetic force.
 18. A playing surface used in a game ofbilliards and played with billiard balls, the playing surface comprisinga means capable of affecting the movement of the billiard balls on theplaying surface, where the affecting means is an electrostatic force.19. A playing surface of claims 17 where the affecting means alters theinertia of a moving object on the playing surface.
 20. A playing surfaceof claim 18 where the affecting means alters the inertia of a movingobject on the playing surface.
 21. (canceled)
 22. (canceled) 23.(canceled)
 24. (canceled)
 25. (canceled)
 26. (canceled)
 27. A methodcapable of affecting the movement of billiard balls on the playingsurface of a billiards table, the method comprising affecting theinertia of the billiard balls by moving a portion of the playing surfaceof the billiards table, where the moving portion of the playing surfaceaffecting the inertia of the billiard balls is located in the same planeas the playing surface.
 28. A method capable of affecting the movementof a billiard balls on a playing surface of a billiards table, themethod comprising affecting the inertia of the billiard balls byapplying an electromagnetic force to a portion of the playing surface ofthe billiards table.
 29. A method capable of affecting the movement of abilliard balls on a playing surface of a billiards table, the methodcomprising affecting the inertia of the billiard balls by applying anelectrostatic force to a portion of the playing surface of the billiardstable.
 30. The method of claim 25, further including continuously movingthe portion of the playing surface.
 31. The method of claim 25, furtherincluding intermittently moving the portion of the playing surface. 32.The method of claim 25, further including controlling the motion of themoving portion of the playing surface through a controller.
 33. Themethod of claim 25, wherein the controller is capable of varying thespeed of the moving portion of the playing table.
 34. A gaming device,the gaming device comprising a playing surface for use in the game ofbilliards, the playing surface having a stationary surface portion and amovable surface portion and where the stationary surface portion has astationary top face and the movable surface portion has a movable topface, the stationary top face of the stationary surface portion and themovable top face of the movable surface portion lie approximately in thesame plane.
 35. The gaming device in claim 34, where the movable surfaceportion is capable of rotating.
 36. The gaming device in claim 34, wherethe rotation of the movable surface portion is circular.
 37. The gamingdevice of claim 34, where the stationary surface portion has at leastone opening and the at least one movable surface portion is designed tofit within the at least one opening of the stationary surface portion.38. The gaming device of claim 34, where the movable surface portionoperates at a low velocity.
 39. The gaming device of claim 34, where themovable surface portion operates at a high velocity.